Russellville Middle School's language arts teachers are extremely optimistic about a new literacy program that is "increasing enthusiasm about reading across the board," according to Mark Gotcher, assistant principal.

Literacy Lab brings libraries into the classrooms, allowing students to have more choice in the books they choose to read than other programs such as Accelerated Reader.

"The basis of Literacy Lab is creating classroom libraries, and letting kids read books they enjoy reading," Principal Al Harpenau said. "It's a novel approach instead of the level approach that is used in Accelerated Reader."

Although RMS has not discontinued Accelereated Reader, the classroom focus has changed. If students choose books that have corresponding Accelerated Reader tests, they may take those tests and receive points.

Accelerated Reader is a program that encourages reading by awarding points for passing tests students take after they finish reading a book. However, through Accelerated Reader, books are placed in certain levels, and students choose books within the level they are tested.

Literacy Lab allows students to choose any book available in a classroom library, and students are assessed through a variety of methods.

Harpenau, along with seventh-grade teachers Shawnna Bull and Aimee Moody and sixth-grade teacher Sandy George, attended the initial training for Literacy Lab a year ago. The other language arts teachers and Gotcher began the training this summer.

According to Harpenau, the training is a three-year commitment and consists of three, three-day sessions per year.

The program has been implemented in all of the language arts classes even though the teachers are in various stages of training.

"I'm really excited about it," Bull said. "This is what's going to keep me in it for 30 years. They miss out on so much literature the other way because they can't get out of their zone.

"They are so excited because they get to read whatever they want to, and what they're getting is exposure to new words."

Harpenau said one of the main focuses of Literacy Lab is the exposure to new vocabulary and the practice of reading itself.

"When we went through the training, one thing they really emphasized was that reading is just like a sport - practice makes perfect," Harpenau said. "You need to practice reading.

"One thing they pointed out is that reasearch has shown that the amount of time kids read in school relates to how they do on standardized tests. That all goes back to learning new words and being practiced at reading."

Seventh-grade teacher Mitzi Sears said Literacy Lab also makes a difference for teachers.

"This gives us flexibility," she said. "We can talk about how to read social studies and how to read science. Before, we were focused on reading certain literature. To me, it makes so much more sense to do it this way."

Sears said the students are accountable for their reading. She keeps track of which book each student is reading and his or her progress in the book.

"Some of them don't like to read, but they are reading," Sears said, holding up a thick stack of check-out slips. "It's very exciting to see."

The teachers use a variety of methods for student response, including holding conferences with students and assigning tasks such as written book summaries or creating something that summarizes the book.

Sears said she and her students write letters to each other about books, reading writing and writers. The students write letters in a reading journal once a week, and Sears responds.

"There are a lot of strategies involved," Harpenau said. "The program allows you to teach vocabulary and grammar through reading. There's a lot of research put into it. The neat thing about it is our teachers are learning different strategies and are setting up their classrooms in different ways - you won't see two that are the same.

"They still have standards to meet, but they can do that through this reading program."

Seventh-grade teacher Doris Spicer said the goal of the program also includes creating excitement about reading.

"It's just like any other skill - you have to practice it to get better at it," Spicer said. "The goal is to get them to read 25 young adult novels a year."

Spicer said the language arts duties have been divided into an hour of writing and an hour of reading. Two sets of teachers in each grade share students and pair up to teach writing and reading. The remaining two teachers teach the full two-hour block.

"We have to get together as teachers and talk," Spicer said. "We're focusing on reading as writers and writing as readers. It's more of a workshop atmosphere."

Several of the teachers said the new program has inspired them to read as well.

"The teachers who have gone through the training have come back so excited," Harpenau said. "It's rejuvenated some of them."

Sixth grade teacher Becky Smith agreed.

"I'm a reader, so for me, it's going to be a shot in the arm," Smith said. "I'm going to get a focus back on reading. The students are excited, and I'm excited for them. Some of them had already been introduced to Literacy Lab, so they were already reading, and that's a very inspiring thing for me."

Spicer agreed.

"It's exciting for me, even though it's very early in the program," she said. "It's the first thing that's inspired me to go back and get my master's degree."

Harpenau said the initiative for Literacy Lab came out of the state Department of Education, and RMS was one of the first schools to go through the training. He said he and a group of teachers plan to visit some other schools around the state who have been participating in the program to compare methods.

Ovearll, Harpenau said he was pleased with the program and eager to see it develop at RMS.

"It's something that inspires you," he said. "It reminds you why you got into this profession. Literacy Lab has really been a great thing for our school."